The present invention relates to cards for holding and displaying flexible capsules and the like and more particularly to a card having a puncturing means for opening the capsules.
The use of cards or blister packs to contain and display storage capsules containing creams and ointments as carriers for cosmetics, vitamins, flavorings, dietary supplements and the like is well known The capsules are often formed of clear elastic material, such as gelatin, plastic and the like and may be attached to the surface of the card by enclosing them in clear plastic bubbles which are broken by the user to release the capsule. It is quite often necessary to pierce, cut or to otherwise puncture the capsules either to extract the substance contained in the capsule or to reduce the size of the dosage. Heretofore, a sharp instrument such as a pin or scissor point was required to puncture the capsule. Such puncturing instruments, however are not usually carried and puncturing the capsule while away from one's home or place of business presented an inconvenience. Moreover even when the user was in his home or place of business, it was inconvenient to puncture the capsule since one still had to obtain an instrument which was not usually stored with the capsules.
A partial solution to the above problems is found in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,568 which discloses a capsule storage container comprising an associated cutter for opening capsules having a tapered end, and in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. Des. 255,427 which shows capsule piercing devices, designed to be associated with capsule container closure members.
In accordance with the invention disclosed herein, capsules are attached to, and/or carried on a display card which also includes a puncturing means with which the capsules may be easily and conveniently punctured without the need for puncturing instruments separated from the card. The card may be formed into a folded container so that a portion of the card acts as a lid to cover and protect the puncturing means and the capsules.